Perforating device



Aug. 6, 1946."

E. KERN 2,405,150

PERFORATING DEVICE Filed June 21, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ZMJL KERN BY I i A rzmzvzy Aug. s, 1946. EFKERN 2,405,150

PERFORATING DEVICE Filed June 21, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ZM/L KEEN W TTUHNE 7 Patented Aug. 6, 1946 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE PERFORATIN G DEVICE Emil Kern, Long Island City, N. Y., assignor to Acco Products, Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 21, 1945, Serial No. 600,661

17 Claims. 1

The invention relates to improvements in multiple perforating devices and more particularly to a device of the kind having a plurality of adjustably positioned punch heads, including punches, adapted for selective operative association with manually actuable punch operating means.

The perforating device of the character disclosed herein is particularly adapted for punching holes in sheet material, such as sheets of paper, to facilitate the binding of such sheets with fasteners or like means in files r binders. Fasteners of a kind commonly used to, bind sheets in a file usually are furnished in a plurality of sizes; that is, the fasteners are formed with prongs or like lements, spaced apart at different distances to be extended through holes punched in the sheets. Other kinds of file folders, such as for example, those having ring or post binders, often have differentl spaced rings or posts, thus also necessitating selected variations in the spacing of the perforation in the sheets to be filed therein.

Known types of perforating devices commonly used to perforate sheets to. receive or be received in binders frequently have the punch heads mounted for relative adjustment upon a base, and means for operating the punches which may be selectively engaged or disengaged from one or more of the punches. Such perforated devices having selectively engageable punches frequently embody complicated and costly constructions oftenincapable of simple and easy manipulation and operation by inexperienced operators and, hence, are unsuited for general office use. Other known types of selectively actuable perforating devices embody such means as is disclosed in my companion application, Serial No. 535,337, filed May 12, 1944, wherein means is detachably associated with the punch actuating element so as to .be easily disassociated therefrom for rendering one or more of the punches inoperative, In the device disclosed in said application the means associated with the operating element is firmly secured on the punch, with the result that diseneasement of the actuating element involves a 2v with a plurality of punches each embodying a novel construction adopting it to be selectively located for operative engagement by a common actuating element.

Another object of the invention is to provide a perforating apparatus in which the perforating elements include means movable into and out of effective position for selective operative engagement by actuating means associated therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is not expensive to manufacture and which is very efficient in use and easy to manipulate.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and which is considered to be the best mode for applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and a purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a multiple perforating device embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the perforating device.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of one of the punch heads, associated with the base and taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the punch head shown in Fig. 3, but showing the punch in an inoperable position.

Fig, 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the links.

The perforating device illustrated in the accompanying drawings has a rectangular base H formed with a surrounding margin, generall indicated at l2, so as to provide an elevated support upon which are mounted, for lateral adjustment thereon, a plurality of punch heads 13.

The punch heads l3 are best illustrated in Fi s. 3 to 5 inclusive, and they are identical in construction. As shown, each punch head includes a punch standard 14 which preferably is formed of sheet material, such as sheet steel, suitably bent to provide spaced apart sidewalls l5 and top and bottom walls I6 and I1 respectively. The bottom wall I! is secured, as by rivets 18, to a 3 spacer plate i3 and to a die-plate 2| arranged therebeneath so as t provide a space 22 at the front end of the standard to receive sheets to be perforated. The top and bottom walls l6 and H are suitably provided with aligned guide openings to receive and guide a punch 23.

The punch 23 is round, and as best shown in Fig. 5, it normally is held in a raised or elevated position with a stop pin 24 thereon in tight abutment with the bottom face of the top wall |6 so as to locate its bottom cutting edge 25 above the bottom face of the bottom wall IT. The punch preferably is formed with a squared upper extremity, as at 25, having a smaller overall width than the diameter of the punch and said squared extremity carries a diametrical pin 21 which is firmly secured therein and extends outwardly from opposite faces thereof. The pin 21 is provided for a plurality of purposes and, as shown, a compression spring 23, surrounding the punch 23 and disposed between said pin 21 and the top wall I6 of the standard, acts against said pin to hold the punch in its normal elevated position.

In use, the punch 23 is moved downwardly against the action of th spring 23 when pressure is applied thereto in a downward direction so as to carry its cutting end 25 through sheets positioned in the sheet receiving space 22 and downwardly through a die opening 29 provided in the die-plate 2|. Such movement of a punch or punches is effected through operation of manually actuab-le means including a shaft 3| and links 32, one associated with each punch. Upon reference to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be noted that the shaft 3| extends laterally of the base H and is journaled for free rotation in each of the standards i3, said standards being provided with upwardly eXtending ears 33, formed as continuations of their side walls l5. The links 32 are associated one with each standard and each is of such size as to fit snugly between the spaced ears 33, and each is provided with a noncircular opening 34 to be positively engaged by the operating .shaft 3| which, as best illustrated in Fig. 5, is

also noncircular in cross-section. It should be evident at this time that partial rotation of the shaft 3| in its bearings provided in the ears 33, will impart positive movement of the links 32 through an arc.

The links 32 are disposed to cooperate normally with and engag the pins 2'| on the punches so that when the shaft 3| is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the links will be effective to urge the punches downwardly to perform a punching operation in the manner described hereinabove. To this end, each link 32 is formed with a bifurcated end providing spaced fingers 35 to be disposed one on either side of the square portion 25 ofa related punch 23 and to engage the top surface of the transverse pin 21 when the punch and its pin are in the position substantially as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Upon referring to these figures it will be noted that the pin 2'! is disposed in a direction substantially parallel to the shaft 3|, thus its projecting ends lie in the path of the fingers 35 as the latter move downwardly upon shaft rotation.

In the event either one or both of they punch heads are to be rendered inoperative during actuation of the shaft 3 the punch 23 to be rendered inoperative is rotated in its mounting substantially 90 degrees so as to dispose its pin 21 in substantial parallelism with the related link 32.

. Rotation of a selected punch 23 may be effected upon initially rocking to the related link 32 above of, and rotating the punch. When the punch is so repositioned the link 32 may then be returned to its initial position with its fingers 35 embracing the square end 23 of the punch to prevent inadvertent rotation thereof into an operative position. While the punch is in its inoperative position, with the pin 21 in substantial parallelism with the link 32 as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the link may swing downwardly upon counter clockwis rotation of the shaft 3| without imparting downward movement to said punch.

A lever 36, having a head 31 on its free end, is firmly attached to one end of the shaft 3| to provide manual means for rotating the shaft to effect a punching operation. The shaft and its related lever 35 and the links 32 thereon are, of course, returned to their initial position upon relief of applied pressure, by the springs 28 acting either upon the pins 21 or directly upon the fingers 35 of the link in such instances as when a punch is in inoperative position.

As has been noted hereinabove, the punch standards |3 are mounted for lateral adjustment on the base so that th spacing between the holes perforated in sheets located therebeneath may be selectively varied. Such adjustment of the standards may best be accomplished by providing base H with a lateral T-shaped slot 38 (Fig. 3) to receive suitable means for adjustably securing the standards thereon. The die plate 2| of each standard extends rearwardly and overlies the slot 38 and is formed with an aperture 39 to receive freely therethrough the stem of a bolt 4| having its head 42 engaged in the slot 38. A thumb nut 43, threaded on said bolt, cooperates with the head 42 to clamp the die plate 2| in any position of adjustment tightly against the base l.

Accurate selective adjustment of. the punch standards l3 along base II is best effected by providing a gauge marking 44 on the forward end of each die plat for cooperative association with scale markings 45 provided on a scale 43 secured, as by screws 41, to the top face of the base H as best illustrated in Fig. 1. Accurate positioning of sheets of paper beneath the punch standards |3 may be governed by means of a gauge bar 43 slidably extended along the top of the base II in such position as to underlie the front ends of the die plates 2|. It should be evident that the gauge bar 43 may be easily and quickly moved into various positions of adjustment to accommodate sheets of various widths.

The present invention is particularly characterized by the construction of the punch heads, irrespective of Whether or not they are fixedly or adjustably mounted on the base, and the particular assembly of the related parts. This construction is such that each punch and link is moved in unison with its related punch standard each time said punch standard is moved into a position ofadjustment, and that the punches may be rendered operative or inoperative easily and quickly without the use of any tools and further will remain in such operativeor inoperative positions until manually repositioned.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present invention facilitates easy adjustment of a plurality of perforating elements on a base and embodies a durable structure wherein one or more of the perforating elements may be disassociated from a common actuating element in a very eincient manner, and it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the precise structure disclosed in the accompanying drawings and described hereinabove, but is to embody a variety of modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A perforating device comprising a base, a standard thereon provided with a guide opening, a punch supported in said guide opening having a lateral projection at one end, and an operating element normally engageable with said projection actuable to operate the punch, said punch being movable into a position to prevent projection engagement by said operating element.

2. A perforating device comprising a base, a standard thereon provided with a guide opening, a punch supported in said guide opening, an operating element including a link for actuating said punch, and means fixed on said punch normally engageable by said link to effect operation of said punch, said means being movabl into a position to avoid such link engagement.

3. A perforating device comprising a base, a standard thereon provided with a guide opening a reciprocable punch supported in said guide opening, a reciprocable operating element, and means carried firmly on said punch movable into and out of the path of said operating element.

4. A perforating device comprising a base, a standard thereon provided with a guide opening, a reciprocal punch mounted for rotatable adjustment in said guide opening, an operating element including a link, and means on said punch engageable by the link when said punch is in a predetermined position of rotatable adjustment so as to cause the punch to be actuated upon actuation of the operating element.

5. In a perforating device including a standard having a reciprocal punch guided therein, an operating element, a link on said operating element engageable with the punch so as to effect a punching operation thereby when actuated upon operation of the operating element, and means attached to said punch movable into a position to render actuation of the link ineffective to effect such punching operation.

6. A perforating device comprising a base, a plurality of standards thereon each provided with a guide opening and projecting pairs of ears, punches supported in said guide openings, links one arranged between each pair of ears and associated one with each punch, an operating element common to all of said links, and non-removable means on each punch selectively enageable by the related link whereby one or all of said punches may be actuated upon actuating movement of said links.

7. A perforating device comprising a base, a plurality of standards thereon each provided with a guide opening and projecting pairs of cars, punches supported in said guide openings, links one arranged between each pair of cars and one with each punch, an operating element common to all of said links, and means firmly mounted on each punch adapted to be selectively positioned for engagement by the related link whereby one or more of the punches may be actuated upon actuating movement of the links.

8. A perforating device comprising a base, a standard provided with a guide opening therein and an aperture, a punch supported in the guide opening, a link disposed in overlapping relation to said aperture, an operating element including a shaft pivotally connecting said link to said standard, said shaft being journaled for free rotation in said standard aperture and having a firm connection with said link so that said link is moved through an arc when said shaft is rotatably actuated, and means on said punch to be engaged by said link when the link is moved in one direction to effect a punching operation, said means being positionable relative to the link to render the punch inoperable when the link is moved in said one direction.

9. A perforating device comprising a base, a standard provided with a guide opening therein and an aperture, a punch supported in the guide opening, a link disposed in overlapping relation to said aperture, an operating element including a shaft pivotally connecting said link to said standard, said shaft being journaled for free rotation in said standard aperture and having a firm connection with said link so that said link is moved through an arc when said shaft is rotatably actuated, and means on said punch to be engaged by said link when the link is moved in one direction to eifect a punching operation, said means being positionable relative to the link to render the punch inoperable when the link is moved in said one direction, said standard and link being adjustable in unison on said base and relative to said shaft.

10. A perforating device comprising a base, a standard including a body and a die plate adjustably mounted on said base, said body having a guide opening therein, a reciprocal punch supported in said guide opening above the die opening, a reciprocably rotatable shaft, a link carried on said shaft for movement through an arc when the shaft is reciprocably rotated, said link being slidably mounted on said shaft for movement in unison with the body, means on said punch selectively engageable by said link when said punch is in a predetermined position of rotatable adjustment to cause the punch to move downwardly through said die opening upon rotation of the shaft in one direction, and a spring operative to return the punch and shaft to their initial positions.

11. A perforating device comprising a base, a standard including a body and a die plate adjustably mounted on said base, said body having a guide opening therein, a reciprocal punch supported in said guide opening above the die opening, a reciprocably rotatably shaft journaled in said body, a link carried on said shaft for movement through an are when the shaft is reciprocably rotated, said link being slidably mounted on said shaft for movement in unison with the body, means on said punch selectively engageable by said link when said punch is in a predetermined position of rotatable adjustment to cause the punch to move downwardly through said die opening upon rotation of the shaft in one direction, and a spring operative to return the punch and shaft to their initial positions.

12. A perforating device comprising a base, a standard including a body and a die plate adjustably mounted on said base, said body having a guide opening therein, a reciprocal punch supported for free rotation in said guide opening above the die Opening, a reciprocably rotatable shaft journaled in said body, a link carried on said shaft for movement through an are when the shaft is reciprocably rotated, said link being slidably mounted on said shaft for movement in unison with the body, means on said punch engageable by said link when said punch is in a predetermined position of rotatable adjustment to cause the punch to move downwardly through said die opening upon rotation of the shaft in one direction, and a spring operative to return the punch and shaft to their initial positions.

13. In a perforating device, a base, a plurality of standards mounted on the base for lateral adjustment thereon each having at least o e perforated ear, a punch supported in each standard, a head on said punch, an operating element including a shaft extended through the apertured ears, and links on said shaft, said links each having an end disposed over one of said heads for engagement therewith when the link ends are moved downwardly upon partial rotation of said shaft, said punches being selectively rotatable to locate the heads out of the paths of said links.

14. In a perforating device, a standard, a vertically reciprocable punch supported in said standard, an operating element including a link pivoted on said standard, said link having a forked end to receive freely the upper end of said punch, and lateral shoulders on said punch engageable by said forked end to effect a punching operation when the link is moved downwardly, said punch being rotatable in said standard to carry the shoulders out of the path of said link.

15. In a perforating device, a standard, a vertically reciprocable punch supported in said standard, an operating element including a link pivoted on said standard, said link having a forked end to receive freely the upper end of said punch, and lateral shoulders on said punch engageable by said forked end to effect a punching operation when the link is moved downwardly, said punch being rotatable in said standard to carry the shoulders out of the path of said link, and a spring to return said link to its elevated position.

16. In a perforating device, a standard, a vertically reciprocable punch supported in said standard, an operating element including a link pivoted on said standard, said link having a forked end to receive freely the upper end of said punch, and lateral shoulders on said punch engageable by said forked end to effect a punching operation when the link is moved downwardly, said punch being rotatable in said standard to carry the shoulders ut; of the path of said link, and a spring to return the punch to its initial elevated position upon release of the operating force upon said link.

17. A perforating device comprising a base, a standard thereon provided with a guide opening, a reciprccable punch supported in the guide opening, means including a link for operating said punch, and means fixedly associated with the punch operatively connecting said punch with said operating means, said means being movable into a position to render the punch inoperable upon actuation of said operating means.

EMIL KERN. 

